The inventive subject matter disclosed herein, which encompasses various embodiments and permutations of inventive features, generally relates to protective devices for electronic signature instruments.
Electronic writing systems are based computerized user-interfaces have become increasingly popular and are used to generate handwritten materials, including, writings, drawings, and digital signatures. For example, a pen or stylus may be used with a graphics tablet or touchscreen, as opposed to using a more traditional interface such as a keyboard, keypad, or mouse. The pen or stylus is used to write and draw on an interface to create displayable and storable objects, as well as to touch, press, or drag on simulated objects rendered on the display of an interface. Electronic touch-sensitive pads, such as signature pads and other electronic writing systems are available from various electronic manufactures. Hereinafter, “touchpad” refers to an electronic pad that can be used to input electronic inscriptions. Typically, a touchpad is pressure sensitive but some may operate in other modes, such as via optical or magnetic sensors or other sensors that track the position of a writing instrument.
Digital signatures are well-recognized as a method of sealing and authenticating electronic documents. They provide all the signature characteristics that institutions and organizations need to replace dependence on paper and handwritten signatures and to allow for electronic storage of and interacting with signed documents.
For example, healthcare organizations are increasingly relying on computerized devices that allow for digital notes and digital signatures (standard electronic signatures) for medical records as a way to improve patient safety, workflow inefficiencies, and cost concerns. Medical records with writings, such as digital signatures are a simple, effective means for recording and storing signatures while ensuring document authenticity and integrity.
In hospitals and other sites of medical assistance and healthcare, infectious diseases can be caused by pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and or parasites. The two primary ways of spreading infectious diseases are either through direct person-to-person contact or indirect contact person-to-object-to-person contact. The easiest way to catch most infectious diseases is by coming in direct contact with someone who has one. This “someone” can be a person, an animal, or for an unborn baby, its mother. Disease-causing organisms can also be passed along by indirect contact. Many germs can linger on an inanimate object, such as a tabletop, doorknob, or a public writing instrument (pen) such as those used with electronic signature pads. When a person handles a pen or stylus used by another person, that person can pick up the infectious agent left by the other person and become infected.
With the growing discretionary and mandatory use of electronic writing instruments in hospitals and other settings, the potential for disease-causing organisms to be passed along by this indirect contact may increase as the use of these instruments becomes more commonplace.
Accordingly, there is a need for protective devices that address these problems.